


The Art of Beauty.

by ineffablesaltflower



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gimli is a photographer, Legolas is a model, M/M, Rivals to Lovers, Thranduil is mentioned as a fashion designer, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, another AU, they are still elves and dwarves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27782917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesaltflower/pseuds/ineffablesaltflower
Summary: Legolas organizes his first photo shoot on his own. His father designed a new fashion line and now Legolas needs a photographer. Gimli helps him out since he needed the money for his new exhibition. Soon Gimli realizes he needs something completely else.
Relationships: Gimli (Son of Glóin)/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 7
Kudos: 51





	The Art of Beauty.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey :)
> 
> Another fic nobody asked for, but here we go. This au spooked in my head for quite a while now and I finally needed to write it.
> 
> I hope you still like it.
> 
> xoxo,  
> flower.

> _I could not tell you if I loved you the first moment I saw you, or if it was the second or third or fourth. But I remember the first moment I looked at you walking toward me and realized that somehow the rest of the world seemed to vanish when I was with you._

Elves.

Elves were going to drive him insane, Gimli knew it. He had no idea why he had agreed to take the photos for the new campaign of — yes, of what again?

Ah, right, right. The newest Mirkwood fashion. It wasn't like elves were a surprise there. And he could need the money for his next exhibition. He had no idea yet what kind of topic his new series would be about, but he was certain he'd find it soon.

He just wondered if it was worth sacrificing his own sanity while waiting for this elf to show up. Well, the elves must have sacrificed a lot as well to hire a dwarf for their new advertising.

What Gimli didn't know, was that Legolas did it without his father's knowing. Thranduil mostly left the planning of the photoshoots to his son, and Legolas had been searching for a suitable photographer.

Secretly he had followed Gimlis last exhibition and just loved the photos the dwarf took. Therefore it was no question that Legolas would need him for this new photoshoot. The first his father left him to do things unsupervised and the only thing Thranduil had the control over were the outfits.

What he didn't plan was to be so late to potentially anger off the dwarf before they could start the photos. 

"Finally", Gimli grumbled when the door got opened quite enthusiastically by a tall, blonde elf.

"I am so sorry.", said elf announced with a smile so bright, Gimli thought he was blind for a whole minute.

To be fair, he would be a fitting one for the outfits the dwarf had already spotted before. And he was sure he'd look lovely, if he wasn't so /late/.

"You're late.", Gimli grumbled and pushed himself from the chair. "As in other words, you are wasting my time."

Words were said before he could stop himself. He depended on this photoshoot as much as the elf probably. It wasn't the elfs first photoshoot, since he had modeled before for others and of course for his father's fashion lines, so no newbie which was definitely a pro on the list. But as far as he overheard from the make up artist earlier, this was Legolas' first time organizing his own photoshoot.

"I know.", Legolas squinted at him, the bright smile gone as they stared at each other.

"I will get ready.", the elf ended the stare off without a particular winner and stormed to the make up and fitting rooms.

Gimli adjusted the lights, now that he's seen his client, before getting himself a cup of coffee. Alright. Show time.

—  
It went surprisingly well. Legolas was a natural and once that frown disappeared from his face and the bright smile was back, Gimli almost didn't have to do anything else but take the photos.

One thing Legolas' had heard about the dwarf, was his brutal honesty. Some might not want that in this industry, but it was exactly what Legolas found so..interesting.

Though they both didn't want to admit it, they kind of worked so well together. Like a well oiled machine. No words were meant to harm and none of them were taken as such.

Gimli offered him advices for the poses and most of the time Legolas accepted them.

And it really would have went well, if not for the last outfit.

"The light is completely wrong.", Legolas grumbled as he stared at the last takes. He pointed to several places in the photos where Gimli absolutely nothing saw.

"It's absolutely right as it is. Who's the one taking photos here, me or you?", he asked and cocked his eyebrow.

"And who is the professional model here, me or you?", Legolas squinted back at him and leaned a bit over.

"And who is the one working with the light on a daily base? If I turn it darker, the color will turn out a different one on the photo. That's not what we want here."

"And my hair looks yellow like this! It's not yellow.", Legolas complained and crossed his arms.

"Your hair doesn't look yellow. You're seeing things that are not there. You're looking absolutely stunning and that's it.", Gimli grumbled and closed the laptop with the questioning pictures.

Silence fell for a moment and Gimli already thought that the elf had given up, when the other spoke again.

"So you think I'm stunning?", Legolas asked, leaning even closer to squint once more at the dwarf, only the small smirk on his lips betraying the frown of his eyebrows.

"...You're an elf. Elves are known to be stunning.", Gimli returned and shrugged.

"Yeah, but you said you think that I am absolutely stunning. That's not just something you heard.", Legolas stated triumphantly and earned himself an eyeroll of the dwarf.

"If it makes you happy and shut up about the last photos, yes, that's what I said.", he grumbled and turned off the camera.

"...yes. Yes, I think that will make me shut up for now.", Legolas said with a small smile, which showed how he was far too satisfied with himself, as he walked away.

Before he disappeared into the fitting room, he turned around once more.

"It was Gimli, right? Send me the photos before you send them to my father's manager, Gimli. Thank you.", he let him know with a sweet show off of his lashes and disappeared then.

Once more Gimli grumbled unknown words to himself before he left the set. Unbelievable. Elves were so complicated.

And unfortunately pretty.

But mostly complicated and annoying.

—

In the best case, he would have sorted out and edited the photos within a few days, sent them off and never thought about it again.

In the worst case, he would stare at one photo for ten minutes without a single coherent thought in his brain left. This. This is what he needed for his new photo series.

It was the worst case.

The absolute worst. What was he supposed to do? He certainly couldn't ask the elf to come around for a new set of photos for himself.

He didn't even really know what part about Legolas trapped his mind so much, that he couldn't think of anything else for his new series.

He was a dwarf. Gimli could hardly make a whole new photo series and exhibition about an elf.

—

Yes, he could.

It had been several weeks since he sent off the photos to Legolas and today he spotted them on the magazines for the first time.

They were still as beautiful as he remembered and Legolas looked as ethereal as an elf could look like.

It were only four weeks left until the photo series needed to be done so the exhibition could start in time.

Of course he had lied and said that he already made half of the photos.

So Gimli decided to finally get his pride down and his ass up and mail that elf. What harm could it bring? Just a little message, a question, if Legolas would come over and like to make a few other sets of photos.

He told him to bring his favorite outfits, just not something all too extravagant.

Gimli had a vision for these photos and the basics were supposed to be Legolas and not the outfits.

The first day they spent together in Gimlis studio was kind of awkward. First the light had to be adjusted to Legolas' fair hair, the outfits simply didn't seem right for the both of them.

At some point Legolas went for a clean suit, a white button down and a half bun for the next try.

And slowly, it was almost way too late and they both thought it was going to be a lost case, when they slowly...just warmed up to each other.

Gimli carefully pulled a strand of hair out of the half bun, causing it to caress Legolas' sharp cheek bones.

An hour later they had a handful of amazing photos they were both quite satisfied with.

"Same time same place tomorrow?", Legolas asked when he put on his jacket, the half bun almost completely dissolved.

Gimli turned around as he was about to turn off the camera, sneaking one last photo of the elf.

"Yeah. Sounds good."

They both realized only how lost they were much later, when both were alone and Legolas was home again.

Gimli realized it the way he edited the photos later, sorted through them and found himself smiling lightly throughout the whole process, even grinning when a photo came up of Legolas' laughing. He realized it the way he could not decide which he wanted to use in the exhibition already and knowing how there were even more to come. He realized it the way he thought how pretty the elf was on every single shot and how he was not sure if he had ever seen something so beautiful before.

Legolas realized it the way he sat at home and brushed his hair out, that his mind wandered off to the strange dwarf who told him earlier that he should braid his hair for the next session. He realized it the way he tried out five different braiding styles, taking photos of each and sending them to Gimli to ask which one looks good. He realized it in the way Gimli replied with "all of them" and Legolas smiling stupidly to himself while reading it.

_It wasn't — love at first sight exactly, it was familiarity. Something like oh, hello, it's you. It's going to be you._  
_— Mhairi McFarlene._

—

They worked together for a whole week. They changed outfits, hairstyles for so many times, they lost count at some point.

Both would have to lie if they'd say that it wouldn't be fun. It was more fun than they ever expected it to be.

"Can I try something? I think I got enough photos to choose from for the next twenty years, but there's just one thing left I want to try.", Gimli asked and glanced at the elf.

"..sure. Sure, why not. Should I change outfits again?", he asked and gestured to the current one he was wearing.

"Just the dark shirt we had earlier, noting else.", Gimli decided and seemed to think about something while Legolas got ready.

Not even five minutes later he sat completely still in a chair while Gimli braided his hair. He couldn't believe he actually agreed to a dwarf to braid his hair and yet, here he was.

They didn't speak, both simply listenting to their own thoughts. Gimli had a small wooden box on his lap, braiding some beads into Legolas' hair along. Some dark blue and dark red, both almost black and then some very light blue and red ones. He rebraided the hair several times until he was completely satisfied.

A thick braid with the beads over Legolas' ear and several smaller, simple ones in the rest of his hair was the outcome, most likely some dwarfish braids, Legolas thought. Gimli made a satisfied noise when he finally finished off the braid.

"Now let's move that chair in front of the simple backgrounds." Gimli had planned to do the photos in both, white and black backgrounds. "Just sit.", he ordered and started taking photos.

Sometimes Gimli would ask him to raise his chin or turn his head, but the movements were so light, it almost felt like only sitting in one spot for hours. He had no idea what Gimli saw in such, but apparently the outcome must be good, because he looked even more satisfied when Gimli took a small break to look at the photos he took.

Those were the only ones he would not allow the elf to see. Before he always showed Legolas, but this time it was different. He told Legolas to stay sitting there and not move and would look at the photos on his own.

When Gimli finally returned, Legolas had stretched and a strand of hair had caught on his elf ear unknowingly to him.

Gimli took this as a chance to take some close up photos, even closer than before.

"Just stay like that.", Gimli whispered. He had never seen something so beautiful.

Legolas' heart nearly skipped a beat though and his hands shook lightly when Gimlis rough hand would come forward and slowly move the strand of hair out of the way, behind his ear.

They both didn't speak one word and Legolas tried to stop the blush from creeping over his cheek. Damnit. He was a professional model and not some 14 years old school kid with his first crush.

Crush? Liar. It surely was only because of the fluttering movement of Gimlis hand against his sensitive elf ear. How would Gimli know about it anyway? And Legolas did in no way plan to tell the dwarf about elven ears.

The moment was over anyway before anyone of them could say something, which was probably for the best.

As if Gimli hadn't noticed his reaction. Gimli was a dwarf, not blind.

"Alright.", he said with a voice that was just a touch of too gravely for the dwarf. "I think we got everything."

With that the weird moment was over and Legolas blinked. Of course the world would keep turning and time would still be running, though it felt differently. Something felt differently.

"I will — I will send you the final choice of photos.", Gimli said later after Legolas had packed up his stuff and was ready to leave.

"I can't wait to see them.", Legolas admitted and gave him a soft smile, which earned him a small, grumpy smile from the dwarf.

"See you, Gimli."

"See you then."

It was weird, somehow. To say bye and to know there would not be another day of another shoot. It would be just a regular, normal day and everything would somehow feel like a dream. Weirdly. Otherworldly.

—

Gimli did indeed send him the final choice of photos per mail, but he also included a free invitation for the grand opening of the new exhibition in two days.

Legolas wondered for a whole day if he should accept.

It had been three weeks since they saw each other and he missed him. Sort of. His grumpy smile and his even grumpier voice. Yes, he missed it.

And perhaps Gimli felt the same, otherwise he wouldn't have even included the ticket, right? He wouldn't have. It must've mean something.

So he would go there. Legolas would put on his best suit and accept the invite. After all he wanted to see what the dwarf did with the photos and how they looked in big and not just on his computer screen.

—

The first thing he noticed though was yes, Gimli did send him some photos but not all of them. Of course. Legolas should have wondered that none of the last shots had been included. The ones where Gimli had braided his hair.

Apparently they were the most talked objects of it, the groups of people always stayed a bit longer underneath those photos than they did with the others.

It was a row of three photos and Legolas couldn't help but marvel at them. Of course he knew that this was his own face, but it was..crazy. Yes, crazy. He couldn't describe it any better.

The photo on the left showed him with a very small smile, eyes closed and the focus solely on the braid and his elf ear. Was it always that pointy? Apparently.

The second photo was taken in the exact moment Gimli had brushed the hair behind his ear, capturing him and Gimlis hand.

Legolas thought for a moment that he could literally feel the movement of the dwarfs hand again.

The third one was a simple black and white photo, but Legolas could swear he could see a bit of darkened cheeks and a tip of the elf ear. He would bet everything that it was taken seconds after.

Legolas took a deep breath and wanted to turn around to look for the dwarf, when Gimli seemed to appear out of nowhere next to him.

For a moment they didn't speak, they only looked at the photo row in front of them, while being hyperaware of standing next to each other.

Gimli had been a bundle of nerves the past days. He wasn't sure until last minute if he should include those photos, but after all they were kind of his favorite. So he decided to take the risk and include them.

"Do you like them?", he slowly asked the elf and crossed his arms, trying to put on a face that didn't give away on how much he hoped that Legolas liked the work.

"I — I do.", Legolas said after a brief moment. "They are amazing, I think. I didn't know you would include them."

"Me neither.", Gimli admitted in all honesty and gave him a wide grin. "They are my favorites. I wasn't sure if I wanted to share them with the world. But I thought you might like a surprise."

"As long as it's such a nice surprise, I don't mind.", Legolas replied and fiddled with his sleeves while he felt once more the blush on his cheeks betray him.

"Come. I'll get us a drink.", Gimli decided and pulled him along. A drink sounded good. Perhaps would stop his cheeks from glowing as well.

It was..an interesting evening. He met some of Gimlis friends and business partners and as soon as they noticed who he was and that he was in fact the one in the photos as well, there were a million of questions anyway. From friends, business partners, even some journalists.

The evening went over in a rush and at the same time it seemed like it would never end. Gimli insisted on driving home in the early morning.

The town was quiet almost all the houses laying in darkness. Legolas stared out of the car window, his feet aching in a good way and he blinked against the tired feeling.

They drove home in comfortable silence, both tired, exhausted but more than happy of such a productive and successful day for both of them.

Not only did Gimli already sell some of the photos, but also got some new jobs for the following weeks. And Legolas was asked a few times already to model for other businesses as well and also was asked about the new fashion line of his father.

It couldn't have gone any better.

No, that was a lie.

Actually there was something that could make this day even better.

"There we are.", Gimli stated quietly and Legolas turned his head to look at him.

"Yeah, looks like it."

Again they looked at each other in silence, before Legolas cleared his throat and sat up.

"Thanks for bringing me home.", Legolas thanked him and offered him a soft, tired smile and reached for the car door.

"Of course.", Gimli replied and watched Legolas' opening the car door.

"Gimli.", the elf suddenly said then and looked at him again, biting on his bottom lip.

"See you tomorrow?", Legolas dared to ask like they did all the time in the beginning.

"...sure. Yes. See you tomorrow.", Gimli agreed without further thinking.

Later they would both claim to the the first who took the initiative, but in fact none of them could actually tell. All they knew was that they suddenly kissed right there.

In the dark of the night, the silence of the day, in Gimlis old car right in front of Legolas' flat. They kissed and kissed until a small yawn from the elf interrupted another kiss.

Gimli laughed and shoved him a little.

"I didn't know I was that boring.", he teased quietly and Legolas couldn't help but laugh.

"Obviously. That's why I need to sleep now.", Legolas replied and kissed Gimlis cheek, rough from the beard.

"I knew you were only doing it for the fame.", Gimli called after him and Legolas spun around after he had gotten out, his eyes twinkling from unlaughed joy.

"Obviously.", Legolas added, cheeks red from — ah, whatever it was now.

Gimli laughed and shook his head.

"I always knew elves were something.", he stated and turned on the car.

"And you like me for that.", Legolas decided and waved Gimli, closing the car door before the dwarf could agree or deny.

The elf still stood there a few minutes later when Gimlis car was long around the corner.

Yes, elves were something. But so were dwarves.

Legolas hummed quietly to himself as he walked up the stairs, opening the door to his flat when his phone notified him for a new message.

Legolas leaned against the door as he closed it and read the message.

"See you tomorrow. Picking you up at 7."

And a few seconds later another message arrived.

"Thanks."

Legolas smiled happily and dropped his shoes off, letting himself and fall into the bed.

"Thank you for the great week.", Legolas typed back and almost instantly fell asleep later.

And if Gimli laid awake for at least another two hours, contemplating where he should take the elf tomorrow for dinner, he surely wouldn't tell Legolas. But eventually even the dwarfs eyes grew heavy.

Elves.

Yes, elves drove him insane, but he had a feeling that Legolas would be different.

A different insane.

A good one.

Yes.

A very good one indeed.

> _To create art with all the passion in one's soul is to live art with all the beauty in one's heart._
> 
> _— Life Made Out Of Poetry._

**Author's Note:**

> Again I need to thank you all for your support. You're great. xx


End file.
